Saturday, May 31, 2008

Ann has been in the antique and collectible business for considerable time, but was experiencing some of the business hardships written about in many of the trade magazines last year. At that time, she was beginning to feel the onset of burn-out and was seriously questioning whether or not she could get ahead.

But when Ann read 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, she asked herself, “Can working like this book says really provide me with the necessary money I'll need for the future? Nothing will provide me with the amount of money I’ll need, except the 31 Club Plan. And the plan makes sound financial sense, too.” After soaking in the information, Ann decided she could do it.

If you’ve questioned whether or not our plan can work for you, I hope you come to see that the community being formed by the 31 Club will help you get the answers to stay the course and reap the rewards this business provides.

But on with Ann's story: She’s shared with me that the turn around time on her money is something very important to her, and she looks for items with this in mind. So, when she attended a house sale, she was looking for anything to add to her inventory that would sell quickly.

An old Indian belt with silver and turquoise medallions for $25 and an old Indian Blanket with figures for $45 caught her eye and seemed to play right into her game plan when she spotted them at a house sale. At first you might not think of this as a great find, but in the end, I believe this is a real start on a journey that will end in the fulfillment of Ann’s goals.

You see, Ann called me to tell me about these two items. I knew someone who would be very interested in the two items. I asked her if she would price them or if they were going on eBay. We spoke a few more times after that before she gave me an answer. She decided she would be satisfied if she could sell them at $1,000. My collector was willing to pay that price.

Before I would let this deal go through, it was important to me that she understood that at a regular auction or on eBay, the pieces may bring in a little more. But, as you’ve heard me say before, when you factor in the commissions, and the time element, this was a good offer. She understood, and the deal was completed.

Ann had invested only $65 and had just completed roughly the first 4 steps of the 31 Steps with this one transaction. If she does the same buying and selling cycle with the $1,000, she’ll end up with approximately $16,000, (I haven’t done the math on paper but it’s somewhere around there.)Ann made wise decisions, and this one sale can set her on the path to bigger and better things. This can be your story, too.

Yes, this is the greatest business in the world and a barrel of fun. But, I’ve found that most new people to this business spend far too much time trying to squeeze the last penny out of their items. This is a big mistake.

The Key to the Door of Success

It’s so easy to find a fair price for almost anything you have to sell these days. The quicker it’s sold, the sooner you’ll have money to reinvest and complete another buy/sell cycle. Keeping the money turning is the key that will unlock the door to success. And the door with the keyhole is the 31 Club. Our community, network and knowledge can help reach financial goals decades sooner than through any other investment plan; all through buying and selling antiques & collectibles. All it takes is for you to join the club (for a ridiculously low amount right now) and to use the network of people we’ve spent years putting in place.

Selling To Other Dealers

When I’ve made a great buy on an item, rather than try to squeeze every penny out of it, I’ll sell it to another dealer, leaving enough in it for him or her to make a profit when they sell it. This means they’ll know that I sell at a very fair price, and they’ll be coming back for more. I’m making good money, and they’re making money. This works for both of us. It fulfills my goal of having a place to sell my items quickly, and keep my money circulating and accumulating, ascending me up my 31 Steps.

It is the Knowledge of Buying That Will Assure Your Success, Not Selling.Ann bought right, so she had no trouble selling.

Boy, am I excited for all of you! I think the secret is out of the bag, and our members are going to the head of the class.

If you haven’t sent in your stories and pictures, why not do that today? And if you’ve been sitting on the fence about joining, it might be time to get off.

Friday, May 30, 2008

What do you do when the item you want to sell isn’t worth a fortune? Placing it on a shelf and waiting for someone to come and find it isn’t the answer. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying you can’t make money with a shop or booth at a mall, but we’re aiming in a different direction. We’re aiming to transform our lives into a life of wealth secured over time. This simply can’t be achieved today by waiting for customers to find your item.

In today’s business environment, waiting for customers will limit you tremendously, and hamper your prosperity. It’s completely opposite of the guidelines I write about in my book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, and opposite the guidelines 31 Club Members follow to build wealth buying and selling antiques, fine art and collectibles. I’d compare the “waiting for customers” thinking that some have to those who think the horse and buggy will be the transportation for the future. Today, you must market your items where they best fit.

Where to Sell Your Antique, Collectible, and Fine Art Items

Today, there are many places you could choose to market your more common and less valuable antiques & collectibles. Let's tackle the biggest fish first, eBay, and then some of the others.

EbayWithout this company, I wouldn't be in the Antique Business today, but I only use them on a “when needed” basis. I’ll explain. After I’ve researched an item, if I still don’t know its identity, then I list it on eBay. You see, with the following eBay has, nothing listed there will go totally unnoticed. The pros will see it listed, and even though it might not bring retail, my item will get a fair price. Yes, eBay’s commissions have skyrocketed, but if you use it selectively, not listing items that more than likely won’t sell, this is still a good venue to use. But, listing items that have a high probability of not selling will eat up your profits on the items that do sell. It cost money to list, and it’s not as inexpensive on eBay as it once was. With the kind of items I buy, eBay is usually my last resort, and as you ascend the steps of our program and are buying and selling more rare and valuable items, you will use it less and less as well. I will, however, use eBay to sell when they feature a special – like no listing fees. Then, I jump all over it.

Local AuctionsLocal Auctions are a good place to sell your antique & collectible items that aren’t worth a fortune or are not very rare. Our goal of turning our money quickly can be better achieved if you know your local auction houses and their schedules. When you’re aware of their schedules, the time between buying an item and selling it will be shortened when you know what Auction House is holding the very next sale. This will keep your money moving for you.

Second, when you use the auction houses regularly, they will negotiate a better commission rate with you. So get to know the people who run the auctions and begin building a relationship with them. These are great relationships to have, and let them know if there’s something special you like to buy. I use Direct Auction in Chicago, and one features that I really like about them is how quickly they pay you. If your sells on Tuesday, they pay you on Friday. Now you can't beat that. This has made them one of the most active auction houses in town, offering an auction every other week.

House SaleBelieve it or not one of the best ways to reduce your inventory is by having a House Sale or Garage Sales. If the idea is to sell what you have and not put it back in inventory, prices must be fair. I wouldn’t recommend doing this more than twice a year because people will stop coming if you do. My rule of thumb is that I don’t do this type of sale unless I think I have enough merchandise to bring in more than $5,000. I’d be giving up a weekend of buying to have this kind of sale, and so for me, It simply isn’t worth the work for less than that.

Newspaper AdsThese have been successful for me, however they can be quite expensive.Piggybacking with Dealer in Their Booth. Helping a Dealer with heir booth at a major show, if they will let you, can give you the opportunity to put a few of your items in the booth. This can prove very profitable. I did this at the O’Hare Show one time and it brought me in $20,000 without having any expenses.

Consigning Items to a Dealer You can pay a commission to other dealers who sell your items to their customers. This commission should be between 10% and 20%.

Selling When You CanI purchased a set of plates for under $200 at a house sale one time. It was a good buy, and I listed them on eBay, hoping to get perhaps $400 or $500. Almost immediately, I got an e-mail from a man in Connecticut who asked me if I would edit the listing and put a “Buy It Now” on them. I told me that I wouldn’t, but if he could tell me what the plates are worth, I might consider it. He hesitated at first, but then told me they were worth $2,500, but he could only pay $1,250 for them. I said, “Sold.” I changed the listing, and he bought them. Are you wondering why I took the $1,250 when I could have gotten more? He had the customer. I didn’t. And besides that, I had just met an honest man.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

I received an email from Michael B., a member of the 31 Club, thanking me for all the information provided by the blog, however, he asked for more information on selling the items purchased. But Well, Michael B., your request is my honor to answer.

Selling is the last piece of the puzzle to fall into place. However, it is the one part of the puzzle that requires the least amount of time and research. You might be surprised by that statement. I am often asked, “I know I can buy the item, but what’s my guarantee I can sell it?” When I’m asked that, I tell them they’re on the wrong side of the dog. Why?

When you buy any antique, collectible or piece of fine art following the rules for buying I wrote about in 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles, customers will be lined up at your door. I don’t say this to minimize the importance of selling, rather to stress the importance of buying. If an items is purchased right, according to the criteria I’ve set up in my book, selling doesn’t become a big issue. I can tell you in just a few paragraphs how to sell. But, making good buys is something you’ll be learning for the rest of your life and is the far more important component. With that said, let’s set some rules for selling so we can get the biggest bang for our buck.

Working From a Collectors List is Essential For Your Success

If you’ve sold items before and haven’t kept a list of who you’ve sold to and what they bought or what they buy, begin assembling this Collectors List now.

When you attend local auctions and house sales, notice who purchases rare items or shows an interest in rare and collectible items. Engage them in conversation and introduce yourself. Remember, I’ve said in the past that this business is about relationships. When you take the time to learn about other people, you’ll be able to add them to your list of collectors. This is so important, because this list will provide you the best market for selling your items you’ll ever find, and it will be right at your fingertips. Private Sales between you and a collector is the ideal way to sell your items, however, it you might not know someone for every item you come across. Then, you’ll need to consider other means of selling.

An Auction House List Helps Make You Make Knowledeable

Note what auction companies set high records and keep a list of those companies. One of the things I do is cut out articles from AntiqueWeek, Maine Antique Digest, and Antique Trader about items that have set high records, making a note of the auction company who made the sale. I then put it in a clip file that my 9-year-old son, Joshua helps to maintain. This way, if I come across a similar item, this company will be a possible place to consider selling through.

The Necessity of Trade Subscriptions

Antique Week, Maine Antique Digest and Antique Trader all carry articles about auction results, so I’d get a subscription. I follow auction results of some of the larger specialty auction houses like Treadway Galleries, Rago Arts & Auction Center & Cincinnati Art Galleries for pottery and glass. Find the specialty auction houses for the items that interest you, as well. I also start a file on Doll Auctions, Toy Auctions and so on. This way, I won't have to search long for the right place to sell my items.

Deciding Where to Sell Your Antique & Collectible Item

If you don’t have a collector on your list for your particular item, you can research collectors on the Internet and contact them. If you don’t come up with a collector for your piece, now deciding where to sell your item requires you ask this question: Is this item rare enough to place it in a standard auction, a specialty auction house, or something like eBay.

Major auction houses today are only looking for an item $20,000 and over. So, where does your item fall? With these houses charging 25 % commission and as high as 25 % buyers premium, before you go this route your item had better be very special. If you are fortunate enough to find an item in this price range, specialty auction houses are very appealing.

For example, I found the Rookwood lamp recently, and had to decide where I’d sell it. I decided it would go to the Cincinnati Art Galleries for their November auction because I know they have set all the auction records on Rookwood pieces.Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Blog. We’ll be studying other ways to profit from all our hard work.

More and more members are sending in their stories to me, and I will publish them as fast as I can. If you haven’t sent in yours, why not do that today?

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Correction: Well, I did it again. In my enthusiasm over our new antique, fine art and collectible marketplace, I rushed our announcement before it was actually ready to be announced. You see, I’m not a genius in the techie world, and I misunderstood what Jeremy, our tech advisor, was telling me. Most of you probably know that I’m rather technologically challenged, so this should come as no surprise to you.

I knew I could list, but I didn’t understand that it wouldn’t be live until Sunday. So, yesterday, I spent a lot of time listing new items to our marketplace that will be viewable on Sunday. Another 50 are waiting in the wings.

31 Club Member Makes a Great Collectible Find with Huge Profit

The market aside, this was a special day in many ways. First, I received a call from an interesting young lady by the name of Laura R. She traveled over 200 miles to attend an auction because the paper stated this auction was all day long. When she arrived at the house, she was surprised to see so many oriental items she knew nothing about. She didn’t want to return empty handed, so she bought several Buddha and Hindu items. Her gasoline bill was larger than the amount she spent on these items. She figured that you can’t buy much for $35 these days, so she took her chances.

Since she wasn’t too excited about the items upon returning home, Laura waited a couple of days before she listed them on eBay. Are you setting down? As of this date, she’s received over $3,000 for this little box of goodies. Her first item sold for $1,840, the second for $450 and the third for $250. , as of this date she has received 0ver $3000 for this little box of goodies. The first one she sold brought $1840, the next $450 and the third $250.

Believe it or not, I think that she might even have a few more of these items to sell. If she had been in the Million Dollar Race she would have completed over six steps in the race on that one purchase alone. I know that some of you have stories that match this one, so please send them in so I can publish yours.

31 Club Associates Program in Action, Bidding on Fine Art Paintings

The next call I received was from William, a club member who spotted some wonderful Robert Wood paintings that will be at an upcoming house sale where he lives. Since this purchase will be out of his budget range, he’s going through the Associates Program to make a bid on these paintings. That means he’s partnering up with 31 Club in a cooperative effort to purchase these pieces. 31 Club will handle the bidding, and if we are successful in acquiring them, 31 Club will handle the re-sale. A very handsome percentage of the sale will go to William just for spotting them and calling us.

By working with the 31 Club you, too, can advance to the higher end items by simply simply taking advantage of the Associates Program.

Whether it’s pottery, glass, paintings or whatever you spot that is beyond your budget, by calling us and purchasing with the help of the Associates Program, you'll start accumulating money for your account.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

American Born Artist, William Horton lived and worked primarily in Paris. Friend of Claude Monet and Edgar Degas, Horton's high auction price is $104,500 in 1991. This landscape offered through 31 Club Marketplace for $25,000

One of the goals of the 31 Club, was to present one of the largest selections of high quality Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art, attracting both Collectors and Dealers. We’ve begun this journey today with the opening of our New Marketplace.This marketplace is open for the public to consign their pieces with us, and to 31 Club Members, who are out there looking for valuable and prized items.

No longer will you have to wait months for Auction Houses to post their schedules or list your better items among hundreds of inferior pieces hoping someone will spot yours.

We aim to become the first place where dealers can find the pieces their customers are looking for, while still being able to turn a handsome profit, as well as the place collectors can find a below the market price on highly collectible items and valuable paintings. New items will start appearing today.

Never a Buyer's Premium and the Most Reasonable Selling Fees in the Industry.

31 Club members pay only 10% for pieces ranging between $0-$5,000, 7.5% for pieces ranging between $5,000-$25,000, and 5% for pieces $25,000 and over. Non-member selling commissions are 20% for pieces ranging between $0-$5,000, 15% for pieces ranging between $5,000-$25,000, and 10% for pieces $25,000 and over. No Buyers Premium!

I hope this will be great news for you. With the large increase in traffic our site is receiving, all items listed should have excellent exposure. By listing through us, you’ll find the lowest cost to you of anywhere in the industry, allowing you to retain more of your money.

To have your items listed, you need only send pictures, a description, details of its condition and your asking price. If you’d like help pricing it, just ask.If you have any questions about the marketplace please email us, and we will get you the answers to you quickly.

We will continue to expand our learning resources in the Members Only Section so our members can keep ahead of the trend. All eyes are on the 31 Club, so now is the time for our members to profit as we become the industry trendsetters.

Your input is highly valued and we want to hear from you. If you have ideas or comments, let us hear from you! Send me an e-mail at info@31corp.comIf you haven’t joined our exciting and trendsetting club, what’s keeping you from joining? It’s the best deal around.

Here’s an Example of How the 31 Club Membership can Benefit You.

Yesterday, I bid on an advertised painting at an auction house. However, I wasn’t bidding for myself. A 31 Club member spotted the painting, and its estimate was only a few hundred dollars. Because she was new to the business and wasn’t certain she’d found a treasure, she called me and went through our Associates Program. I took a look at the offering and did some research. It was indeed a good offering. Partnering with 31 Club, I handled the bidding. I bid up to $5,000, a good offering based on research. However, the bidding ran up to $14,900 plus buyer’s premium.

31 Members Make Money Spotting Good Buys Without Ever Having to Invest a Cent.

While we didn’t win this piece, I can assure you, when we keep working this way, everyone will come out a winner. And here’s how. Let’s say I had the winning bid at $5,000. 31 Club would pay for the item, then we’d handle the sale of it. If we were successful selling it at, say, $10,000 the club member would have made $1,750 just for having spotted it and called us. No investment on the member’s part, except for the phone call. I think you’d have to agree that is a pretty good benefit to being a member, maybe even great.

We’ll soon be celebrating our first year anniversary, and I am truly grateful to all who have helped keep us growing. Thanks a million.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Monday, May 26, 2008

I have never been as proud to be an American in all my life as I was this weekend. I attended a small church service in Calhoun, Kentucky where they honored our Veterans this Memorial Day Weekend.

Slacks with sharp creases and starched shirts decorated with ribbons and medals was the dress of the day. Flags were held proudly as they were presented, and America The Beautiful and the National Anthem were sung by people who had tears streaming down their cheek. Great love of their country was the unifying thread that bound together men and women in their eighties with others in their twenties. Not one asked for a single thing for themselves, rather prayed that under God, this Country would return to what God intended for it to be. This image will be etched in my mind and heart for the rest of my days.

I remember those times when people were proud of our Country and had the love of God in their hearts. Where have these days gone? How have we strayed so far? Our political leaders seem more interested in party affiliation than the good of the county.

To see and know what has made this country great, you must return to rural America. I am saddened to have returned home and turn on the television, only to see the disharmony that is prevailing in this country that so many have given their lives for.

My hope is that this little community we are in the process of creating through the 31 Club, will stand proud for what our forefathers held so dear. Yes, we are going to learn together about how to provide for ourselves, but I'm hopeful we won't forget our fellowman.

I am asking you to start looking for items that show our Country in a different light. Let’s see if we can find posters that show the pride that all citizens of this Country had at one time. How about books and paintings showing people helping others in times of need. You will probably have more ideas than I about what these items can be. I know you are asking if there be a market for them. The answer to that is yes, because we will create a market in our market place.

Remember, just one year ago everyone was saying that there would never be another collector, but we said they were wrong. They said this business was of the past, and we said it’s the greatest business in the world today.

We’ve shared with you that in every category of this business, records are being set at auction. I no longer see all the negative articles written nor hear the doom and gloom that prevailed just one year ago. Yes, the message of the 31 Club is being heard loud and clear, so now I’m asking you to extend this positive attitude even a step further. Let’s include our pride in America into our plan.

GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Some pottery can bring in great prices at auction, and one of these is the collectible Belguim pottery, Boch Freres. Several pieces will go to auction June 7, 2008 at the Cincinnati Art Galleries as part of their summer offering. These vibrantly decorated pieces can be a real prize, and pre-1940’s pieces are sought after by collectors worldwide. The mark is a wolf or dog over the wording “Boch Freres Keramis made in Belguim.”

Their leading craftsman, Charles Catteau, was very active in the 1920’s and he produced some real beauties decorated with various animals, like birds, deer or antelope.

Many of this company’s pieces are still very affordable, and you’ll see prices at the Cincinnati Art Galleries auction estimated from a few hundred dollars to several thousands. These are great pieces for new collectors because of their affordability and beauty. When you find a great piece of Boch Freres, rest assured there will be a collector you can turn it to for a nice profit, if you buy it right. You shouldn’t have any problem finding a European collector for these pieces. The weak dollar has brought European buyers out in droves and they are very actively buying up our collectibles at bargain prices.

Don’t fail to take a look at Cincinnati Art Galleries’ Art Glass offerings, as well. Karen Singleton has assembled, perhaps, the best Art Glass collection I’ve seen them sell yet. Over 30 pieces of Lotton Art Glass are included in the offerings plus many other outstanding examples by the better Art Glass companies.An excellent array of Rookwood pottery will be offered at this sale, and that’s why they currently hold almost every record price paid for Rookwood Pottery. If you want to truly get a good education, study the items on their site. Then, when there is an antiques show in your area, attend it and get a close up look at what high quality pottery and glass looks like.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Going to my grandsons’ college graduation party in Kentucky this weekend won’t stop me from hitting all the antique malls or shops along the way. It might take me a little bit longer to get to the party, but I’ll sure have fun along the way. I’ll be making this trip alone, so stopping won’t be an issue brought up for vote. I love it! Wouldn’t it be something if I found a treasure even before I arrived in Kentucky?

Antiques Out of Place for the Region Can Prove to Be Very Well Priced.

So what will I be looking for? Something out of place, of course. Paintings are first on my list. Unless they are regional and from the area, paintings don’t do to well in this area of the country. Maybe I’ll find a California or New York Painting at a bargain price. Pottery? Well, the Mid-West is pottery heaven so I’m not pinning my hopes on a great piece of pottery. Political Memorabilia is a good possibility. Killary was just in Kentucky and I believe Bill Clinton was recently in my hometown, Owensboro.

Are you beginning to get the jest of how I think? This process will save you a lot of time once you've begun your trip.

I missed a great auction there last week, but I’ll be looking in on old friends to see how they’re doing. While I’m there, I’ll ask if they have anything I might buy from them that might do well in Chicago.

Cecil is the first person I hope to find because he always has some of he better things set back. I’ve been able to persuade him to let a few of them go to me, in the past. I’ll also be looking in my friend Owen’s “Spend-a-Buck“ Antique shop for some goodies.

In Kentucky, the expensive items seem to be more reasonably priced than what I’ve come to expect in Chicago. There seems to be an order to the way Antiques, Collectibles and Fine Art sell.

The Same Item in Different Regions of The Country Can Have Different Values

I used to set up at the O'Hare Antique Show with some of my friends, and it amazed me that the New York and European dealers would buy most of what I had brought to the show before the public had a chance to see it. I wondered how they could pay my prices and still think they had a bargain. But I learned that the same item can have a different value depending on where it’s being offered.

My friends, Doris & Mike, who sell a lot of vintage bakelite jewelry, have buyers from New York gobbling up their pieces, because they believe the prices are incredibly reasonable compared to the New York prices.

If you’ve read my book, you’ll remember the painting I drove all the way to Christies in New York to auction, because I’d get a better price for it in New York than in Chicago. The painting was estimated to bring three times as much in New York as it would in Chicago, and that’s exactly what happened. Primitives sell very well in New York, and as I was driving, I recall wishing I had some great primitives I could have brought with me. Had I had these items, I knew they wouldn’t be making the return trip with me.

Qualify Your Family Vacation or Trip as a Business Trip

Hunting for Antiques & Collectibles along the way to my grandsons’ party enables me to do business along the way, and is in essence, a business trip I can expense. Fun and Profit – the two greatest words I know besides the one I use to pray.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Some of us have been working together for almost a year now, but are you prepared for success?

Yes, we have studied antiques & collectibles, listened to stories of success, but have we assembled the tools needed to master this market?

These questions came to me as I was working with one of our members yesterday. She’s one of the best students I have run across and never fails to do her best to meet the assignments I give her. Her eye for quality is impeccable, and the knowledge she has acquired through her international travels serves her well in the antiques & collectibles arena. But, as we visited, it became apparent there were some basic tools still missing. Like a current computer!

You see, we tried to upload her new digital camera, but couldn’t. Her computer was too old to handle it. Without a computer and digital camera, I don’t know how you can compete in the Antique, Collectible and Fine Arts Markets today.

To Compete in the Antique, Collectible and Fine Art Markets Today, a Digital Camera and a Computer That Can Handle it are Two Necessary Tools for Success.

A fairly new computer and a digital camera is a requirement. Most of you already have one that is sufficient, but if there are members who need to upgrade, this might be a good time. The prices have dropped at an unbelievable rate for desktop models, and you can probably get all you need for $400. A reconditioned computer will be even less. If you’re not able to do this, I’ve seen the “buddy system” work well. One person has the camera already, the other has the computer, and they work together.

Without these two items, your connection with the markets will be very limited. Each day, people send me photos to look at. With those, I can help the sender decide whether or not to purchase the item, or what price to ask for it when they sell it. I also have people who offer me certain items, and e-mail me a photo to look at first, before deciding if I’m interested enough to consider buying it. Once people know you buy antiques, collectibles and fine art, they’ll want to e-mail photos to you, as well.

The computer can help you access auction sites, such as eBay, Rago Arts & Auction, Treadway and others, to do price research, as well as general research on just about everything imaginable. With the use of a good computer and digital camera, you can create limitless results.

I see so many trying to make it in the Antique field who don't take time to research and learn. The computer can help you research like never before, and if you’ve joined the 31 Club you have these tools already aiding you on your success in this trade through many of our professional subscriptions that are costly to subscribe to individually. Access to a wide network of professionals and collectors can also be at your fingertips when you join us. If you haven’t joined, why not do so today? My 220 page paperback book, 31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectibles is free with your membership, and the complete list of trade tools is listed in the book. Join Today!

Our community is growing everyday and I think you will agree that our site is becoming the standard for the industry. Cindy, Chris and Jeremy have done an outstanding job and the best is still to come. Clarke is waiting in the wings for his next assignment, and I can guarantee it isn't far a way.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Sometimes we try too hard searching for antique and collectible vintage treasures when they might actually be right under our noses. At sales I attend, I watch people running to and fro, their eyes focused only on the pieces prominently exhibited to draw attention. The truth is, the items displayed in the most prominent places are the ones most likely to be overpriced. I have found more treasures tucked away in closets or left in the basement than I can shake a stick at.

$25,000 Worth of Collectible Paper Items Found in Dumpster After the Sale.

At a house or estate sale, very few of the buyers go searching for paper items. Usually, paper items are found in boxes or spread on the floor of the basement or garage. Often, this is where I’ll spend most time at a sale. Remember the dumpster diving story where I found $25,000 worth of paper items in a dumpster after everything in the house had been picked over? Among the valuable items I pulled out of the dumpster, after having been given permission to do so, were Winchester Rifle and Ammunition Posters. Right there in the dumpster!

If you know what’s a valuable paper collectible, you can cash in while others are fighting for overpriced items.

I found a Maxfield Parrish Calendar priced at $350 at a house sale. The owners agreed to sell it to me for $250, and even back then, I was able to sell it for over $1,500. Maxfield Parrish was a popular illustrator from the early 1900’s, during the Golden Age of Illustration. This period of time is noted as having excellence in book and magazine illustration, and Parrish was tops. Parrish had been a student of Howard Pyle, along with other top illustrators of the day; N.C. Wyeth, Frank Schoonover and Edwin Austin Abbey.

Parrish was commissioned to do work for popular magazines in the 1910’s and 1920’s such as “Life” and Heart’s Collier’s. His illustrations were made into posters and calendars, so it’s wise to become familiar with his work. Do a little research and capture his style in your mind, so when you see something that looks like one of his works, you’ll know to check it out.

Many of Parrish’s original prints, calendars and posters can still be found for very little money, in mint condition, and in their original shipping tubes, if the seller hasn’t taken the time to look into the tubes. They often don't. Kovel’s Price Guide lists several Maxfield Parrish Calendars, some approaching $5,000.

The Right Advertising Calendars Can Be Valuable, So Know What to Look For

Other types of Calendars are also quite valuable, and they don’t have to be large for you to return a fantastic profit. Small calendars with the right advertising can fetch over $2,500, even if they are as small as 4x8 inches, as did the Coca Cola calendar I found many years ago.

As a general rule, the most valuable pieces are dated before 1950, but there are exceptions. A Dr. Pepper piece from 1953 is listed at $412, but in today’s market I truly believe it can command a higher price. Age alone shouldn’t be the basis for valuing these items. There are many other calendars out there from the 1800’s still selling for under $100.

Sporting Calendars and Hunting Calendars are advertising pieces also highly sought after. Examples of these are hunting equipment calendars with guns and dogs in the scene, fishing equipment calendars or prints of fishing scenes will help fatten your wallet. Calendars with pictures by well known artists, like Parrish, will command top prices. Many of these will be from the 1920’s – 1950’s.

Soft Drink or Soap Calendars with beautiful graphics are a cinch to bring big bucks. So can Calendars advertising Ice Cream Shops or Drug Stores, Men’s Clothing Stores or Women’s Dress Shops. When I’m looking through boxes or closets, I’m looking for big dollars, while to most others, it appears I'm wasting my time.

Our 31 Club Member, Cecil, taught me the value of paper collectibles when he showed me Travel Posters worth up to $5,000. These, along with a Maxfield Parrish Calendar, were practically given to him. Thank you Cecil. I have now passed your knowledge on to others so it will help them, as you helped me.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your antique & collectible treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

What's your next move if there are items you want to buy at a house or garage sale, but prices are firm and more than you want to pay?

Do you walk away in search of greener pastures? Absolutely not.You make a lower offer and see if it’s accepted. What’s the worst that can happen? Someone might say “no”?

Do you just pay the asking price? Of course not. That’s breaking all our established rules for success, as well as a guarantee failure will soon be your partner.

Yesterday, a 31 Club Member called me facing these choices. He had been at a house sale and found many upper end items the first day of a sale, but prices were firm that day. A 24” x 36” pastoral painting interested him, but he could only describe some of the things I would need to know if I was going to make a phone assessment of the piece. Since prices were firm, I advised him to return to the sale the next day, bringing his camera along. So, back to the sale he went the next day.

Hooray! The painting was still there, and its price had been reduced from $400 to $200. He shot some photos of it, and sent them to me via e-mail. I looked at those pictures, and I realized he had found a treasure. In fact, I had just sold a much smaller painting similar in subject matter to this one; cattle and a stream backed up by beautiful mountains. And, his painting appeared to be better quality than mine, and it was twice the size. Who knows what this might bring in? My painting brought in $2,600 in an Evansville, Indiana sale.

After I looked at these pictures, I got him back on the phone and asked to speak to the lady conducting the sale. We had some light conversation, and then I asked if she could possibly take $100 for the painting. She agreed! No other takers were waiting in line for this piece, and the sale was ending. The company had done the best they could do, and $100 was their best offer. End of story. Or, is it?

31 Club Free Mentoring and The Associates Program is Worth Countless Bucks in Your Pocket.

Along with my offer of $100, I asked if there were other items not sold. And there were many. In fact, several paintings were left behind; their signatures impossible to read. That is – impossible to read for the person who’d not seen these signatures before. Remember, Knowledge is King, and that where 31 Club comes in. You see, tomorrow, our member is returning to photograph and e-mail me photos of the leftover items.

Depending upon what’s leftover, we’ll make an offer at a price we like. Although this member might not have the funds to purchase all the leftover items we like, the 31 Club Associates Program will buy those items that are beyond his budget, handle the sale, and share a good percentage of the profit with him. It’s a win-win deal for both of us, and we’ll make it possible for the sales agent to close the sale without having any leftover items in inventory to dispose of. That's win-win-win. The sales conductor will be quite happy, and there could be a few great treasures in there for us. The Associates Program is available to 31 Club Members only, so join today, if you’ve been sitting on the fence.

A Rejection is Just a Problem You Haven’t Found a Solution For.

I ask all 31 Club members to think outside the box. You’ll discover that situations aren’t as they first seem to be, and with a little creativity, you can turn this to your advantage. Countless times, I made offers on items that were rejected, but I continued to shop the sale and found other things to my liking. Before settling up, I’d go back to the items whose offers were rejected and ask, “Why don’t you throw that piece in for what I offered because of the amount of money I’m spending with you.” Very simple, and it almost always works.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Hillary Clinton 2008 Topps Baseball Card, autographed on the back, sold for $725 on eBay, May 13, 2008. There were only 18 cards printed.

More fortunes will be made in political memorabilia items from this election season than in any other time in history. I am more convinced of this now than I was back in August, when I began writing this subject.

This thought came to the forefront of my mind yesterday during a conversation I had with eBay Powerseller, Skip McGrath. He was looking to share some timely information with his many readers and customers, so he asked where I thought there was a real niche market in the antiques & collectibles business; one that was highly profitable.

You see, Skip McGrath is in the business of helping others make money with eBay. He’s one of the best known names in the industry, so keeping his readers and customers current and satisfied is second nature to him.

“Daryle,” Skip said. “Is there a niche right now that’s highly profitable?”I can’t believe how quickly the answer came to me. It came in a flash. Political Memorabilia; without question.

I’ve discussed this topic in previous Blogs, so you might want to look those up to refresh yourself. If you’re new to the blog, scroll back or check the category list to find them. So, today, let’s get a little more detailed in the types of items that could become quite valuable, in addition to those previously mentioned.

High School and College Yearbooks from the schools that Clinton, McCain, and Obama attended will become highly sought after. If they are signed by the candidates, their value could escalate to the moon after the results of this election.

Personal Letters will command astonishing prices. For example, personal letters from Abraham Lincoln could bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars today. If Barack Obama is elected President, his personal letters could achieve that same status.Photographs of the candidates will be competing with photographs of top athletes for the highest prices.

Articles of Clothing will be compared in value to costumes that Elvis wore. (Look up some of those, if you dare.)

Number of sold items show Hillary Clinton coming in with 2,753 sales, McCain with 1,745 sales, and Obama ringing in 8,000 sales for eBay.

The highest price paid on eBay shown this morning indicates a high price for Hillary Clinton at $725 for 2008 Topps Baseball Card, autographed.

A signed on-the-spot and authenticated baseball produced John McCain’s high selling price of $273.98.

Barack Obama comes in with a whopping $2,700 sale of an Obey Giant Shepard Fairey Complete Set of 4 signed/numbered prints.

In other words, anything that can be connected to these candidates will be going to auctions throughout the world, sold to the highest bidder. When the Kennedy Collectibles came to auction, they sold at stunning prices. I particularly remember John Jr.’s rocking horse being hammered at an amazing price. I can’t stress enough how this election has the historical value not seen since our founding fathers stood together and started this great nation.

This event will not be a one day wonder, so everyone still has time to participate in this upcoming auction bonanza. I’ve seen items already selling on eBay, yet no one has shown me a single article written about this subject, except for my own. So, don’t be asleep at the wheel while dealers and collectors are working under a cloak of secrecy. Get out there and get your share at a great price before the articles start pouring in over the wires. Then, when you start seeing article after article on the value of this election’s political memorabilia, you’ll have your items on hand to cash in big when the market takes a hike straight upward. Your cash out value can then fund your next big purchase(s), sought after by worldwide collectors.

The opportunity that only comes about once every hundred years or so could be staring you in the face today. Don’t miss it.

Learn the Inside Secrets of the Antique & Collectible Business. Learn to Make Some Real Money.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn to make high profits and continue growing your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Monday, May 19, 2008

"Casablanca" movie poster sold for $23,000 in March of 2006 through Heritage Auction Galleries (http://www.ha.com/)

What is the true value of an item? This is the most important question that can be answered for you in the Antique, Collectible and Fine Art business. Being able to understand what creates an item’s value will save you unlimited pain and loss in the future.

There are many areas within the collectible business and several of these areas you will want to avoid at all cost. So, before you get started, you’ll want to scratch them from your want list because they will likely not create profit for you, regardless of their price.

Franklin Mint items are tops on the list. I once saw a young man with Franklin Mint collectibles that he had paid over $30,000 for turn around and sell them to a dealer at $1500 – and the dealer still lost money. This is also true of the collector plates, most often sold on the Bradford exchange. Today, these plates are listed at ten cents on the dollar of their original selling price.

I’ve had to learn some valuable lessons in these area myself. I once attended a large auction in Louisville, and I couldn’t help myself when a set of twelve plates came to the block. I had researched them and found they had originally sold for $3,600. I won the plates with my bid of $400, and I was sure I had found a treasure that day. I kept them for many years, and after moving to Chicago, I thought I’d test the water on my great buy, so I listed them at a local auction. They sold for only $300. The only way I could justify my $100 loss was to tell myself that at least I hadn’t lost as much as the first buyer.

Another market that hasn't done so well for me is the Movie Poster Market. You can look in the Kovel's price guide for Movie Posters and find prices for many posters as high as $5,000 or more. However, I am very familiar with prices that reach tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands for the most rare posters. Heritage Auction Galleries auctions movie posters and recently, a Bride of Frankenstein poster sold in the high 300,000's. The movie poster market is a very controlled market, and a poster getting anywhere near the posted price is nearly impossible. Go to any dealer that specializes in Movie Posters and ask the price for a rather rare one they are showing. Return later to the booth and tell them you have one of those posters, and I will almost guarantee you they won’t give you a price. I do think that some movie posters are wonderful, but we are in the business of making money. If you buy something and can't sell it at a reasonable price, then you must go on to the next item.

For the consumer, Galleries selling works of unlisted artists might be the most unfair market that I know of. There isn't ever a secondary market for this type of art work that I can find, and after it’s bought, the paintings will only have a value similar to other decorative art items.

I once was call to a house by a woman who needed money for a surgery. She showed me a painting that her father-in-law had gifted to them, having paid over $18,000 for the painting at the time. Many phone calls later to auction houses and galleries, I was finally able to sell it for $1,000 to a buyer. (He did me a personal favor by buying it.) If the artist isn't listed or the painting doesn’t have a record of its history, pass on it and go to the next item.

The final area of items to stay away from is Limited Prints. If the prints aren't signed by the artist, I have no interest in them. Unsigned prints are a dime a dozen and are to be avoided at all cost. The framing will be more valuable usually than the print. Signed prints are a different story. Most of the prints you find will be signed within the print. But, what you’re looking for is where they have been signed after the print has been produced. So on most of these they will have a double signature and usually one will be in pencil.

While you’re on the lookout for valuable antique and collectible treasure, keep these three words in mind: Secondary, Secondary, and Secondary. I repeat it three times so you’ll not forget it – ever. If there’s an item you are considering and you don’t know if there is a secondary market for it, let someone else have it and save your money for a better buy.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Most people today seem to be looking for silver candlesticks or candelabras and often pass by the bronze ones too quickly. Unless they are figurines, most people pass up the bronze items. What a mistake this is.

Remember the story about the oriental vase that I sold way too cheap? If you recall, the dealer kept pressing me and finally I put a price on it before I had thoroughly done my homework. I did put a price on it that I thought would be rejected, but I was outsmarted when he said, “Sold!” Well, at the same house I bought the oriental vase, I also purchased a set of unmarked bronze candelabras.

I had already spent several thousands of dollars with the woman when I noticed the bronze candelabras. Even though they were unmarked, I knew they were well done but didn’t have any idea of their value. So, I offered the lady $50 for the pair, which she graciously accepted. Being unmarked and using my general rule, I figured I could get $200. But, I also figured I had nothing to lose if I started them at $2500. I could, after all, lower my price.

Since it was mid-summer at the time, I thought it would be a great time to have my own garage sale. After all I had accumulated several things I wanted to sell and had plenty of garage sale items to clean out of my house. I always place some of my better items in my sales so the ad will look particularly inviting to dealers. Right off the bat the dealers started ringing my doorbell several hours before the time listed in the paper. This happens all the time, and its one reason why I tell you to arrive early at garage sales. To be polite, you may want to wait until the seller allows another person to enter first. That’s quite all right.

The first person into my house was a lady I knew very well. She did her shopping and bought a few things, but she continued to visit the candelabras. She asked if I would lower the price, and I said,” It’s still very early and I think that’s a very good price. I think they should sell as more people come.” I took a chance. I knew they were special and I didn’t care if I held them a little longer. Psychology is very important in this business, and it’s good if you practice reading your customers. I was pretty sure that she had a keen interest in the pair. Finally, she gave in to her desire to own them and said, “Sold!” And, she paid me $2,500 for them.There is several great lessons to be gleaned from this example. First, something can be quality without being marked. Second, if it is quality, mark it as such in your price. Third, once you’ve priced a piece, shut up and let the customer think about it.

Old bronze should have a very mellow patina. If it’s too bright, then I usually think that it’s new or has been polished, both of which reduce my interest. The truly great pieces of bronze should be well molded, with out seams, and their detail should show the work of a true master. Newer pieces will look cheaply crafted, and the details will tell you that it isn't a master’s work.

Most good bronze candlesticks will sell from $1,000 up, depending upon the marker or its quality. At most sales, I am surprised if I find a bronze candlestick or candelabra priced over $500. At this price they should always be a buy.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

How many people have you told this week you’re in the Antique, Fine Art and Collectibles business? If that number isn't 25 or more, what are you waiting for? This is your future. Auctions and house sales are wonderful places to find treasure, but they don't compare with a lead from a personal contact.

I’ve had people call me five years after my first contact with them. Because I was still in business, they felt I could be trusted. There is no better feeling in the world when your phone rings and the person on the other end of the line says something like, ”Hello Daryle, I’m Jane. Anne said that I should call you, because I have some things to sell you might be interested in.” There’s a couple things going on in receiving this call. First you have a great friend in Anne. Second, Jane now trusts you because of Anne. This type of relationship will be where your true success will come from.

I just received a large box in the mail from a person I’ve done business with before, and you won't believe this. It was stuffed full with Indian artifacts. These included three Kachina's, two Apache arrows, six or eight pieces of bead work, two pieces of pottery (one a black on black pot), and some very nice coins including fifteen 1922 D pennies in near mint condition. So why did he send them to me? He trusted me. They were sent without discussing any price, knowing that I would be fair with him and know the value of these items. NO COMPETITION and NO TRAVEL TIME TO EVALUATE THE ITEMS. What could be better than this? So look for these in the future in our marketplace.

The best advertising you will ever have, is when you tell someone that you are in this business. And it’s free. You won't be getting that dreaded invoice in the mail. How many times have I had to pay a bill for advertising that was over $200 or and I didn't get a single response, let alone make enough money to pay for the ad. If you tell 1,000 people a year that you’re in the Antique and Fine Art business, it could easily be worth over $100,000 a year to you. Now that is something to think about.

People today are very leery of Antique Dealers in general, so if you can build a reputation for being honest, and have others recommend you, this will sit you at the head of the class in this field. People are looking for trustworthy people in their time of need. They might be retiring, have an estate to settle, have children entering college, or simply want to reduce their debt. There are so many wolves in sheep’s clothing out there in the world today, and this is when you can be the trustworthy person that they're looking for. So don’t forget we operate by the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

I hope a box full of treasures comes to you in the mail sometime soon, however it will only arrive if you tell others you are in the business. Make sure you go through all your boxes of business cards and have to order more. Set a daily goal for yourself. Will you tell 2 people, 10 people or 15 people a day. How many people do you want to have told by the end of the week? Does your mailman know you are in the business? Does your doctor? When your cable guy comes to make a repair, will he know what business you’re in? How about all the parents at your son’s baseball game? Do they know? Make certain each person you speak with gets your card. Do this consistently, and one day you just might get a box of treasure delivered to your own front door.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Friday, May 16, 2008

This Connecticut Chest on Chest, circa 1790, sold for $18,000 at Hood Auction.

We are all very individual in our tastes when it comes to decorating our homes. Some like formal, some like casual, and there is a chest for anyone’s taste. For most of my life, I preferred Queen Anne style but now, I'm more into early America. Regardless of style, the one thing that most catches my eye is quality. Beautiful wood, crafted by a true artist, certainly gets my attention.

We talked about blanket chests, sugar chests and today we’ll continue with clothes chests, which we’re most familiar with. These beauties can be very valuable under certain circumstances. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:

A gentleman brought a chest to the Antique Road Show inquiring of its value. He told the director that when he purchased the piece, it had been painted in an ugly red paint, but he had it stripped and refinished. When the director asked him if he wanted the good news or bad news first, he opted for the good news first, and the news was that his piece was worth about $35,000. The owner was thrilled. He asked how there could be bad news. But, there was. And the bad news? By stripping the original red paint finish, he had washed away $100,000.

This is a lesson we must not forget. It’s best to buy each piece as it is, at the value it is in the condition it is in presently. Never stray from this rule. Yes, you might be able to make a piece prettier, but in doing so, you risk reducing the true collector value. Always let your new buyer make the decisions on what he want to do to improve what you’ve sold him.

There are many styles of chests you can run across. The federal style, with its straight lines, appeals to me. Your taste might be more toward Chippendale or Empire style. The true antiques in these styles can be very expensive. You might be expected to pay from $10,000 to $500,000 for a bow front mahogany or a birds eye maple chest. If you’re not familiar with styles in chests or furniture, nor the appeal of various woods, I believe the best way to learn about furniture and its styles is by first studying books. There are many books to choose from, and you might even spend some time in the library studying. Then, find a shop that carries a variety of high quality antique furniture and take a look at these items close up. You’ll find the shop owner will probably be more than happy to answer questions and help with your education.

I once bought a very nice three drawer walnut chest for $500. It had all the original hardware and had a patina that was true to its age. I got a little excited, and priced the chest at a little over $2,000. It sold immediately. This was another time I wish I had waited and allowed myself more time to research before selling. I would’ve made a lot more money. So, please take some time to research your piece as best as you can, and don’t be shy about calling in an expert or two or three. I am sure you can tell that what I share with you has been learned by making some of the very mistakes I warn you of.

Hepplewhite, Queen Anne, Sheraton are also styles that will add beauty to any room. When you are on the hunt, never be distracted by price. If the price asked seems too rich for your blood, that’s the moment go and do your research. Yes, you might lose the piece, but being safe rather than sorry is always the right decision. If you return, and it is gone, it probably wasn’t meant to be at this time. Remember, the best decisions we make are based on knowledge.

If you find a piece of furniture that fits all the rules, buy the piece and have the sales person put a “sold” tag on it immediately and continue your hunt. If you stop to secure the piece or take it to your car, the other fabulous treasure waiting for you in the next room might be missed.

There is a pot of gold waiting for you, if the right chest comes your way. But, remember, it will more than likely require waiting for several months for it to be sold at the proper auction. For special pieces, the wait will be well worth it.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

What a great radio show I had with Auctionwally. I have been answering the phone ever since. In this increasingly more difficult economy, people are beginning to listen more closely to what we are saying, and discovering it makes great sense and might be a solution for their financial dilemmas.

Our Member, William called the show, and I was so glad to hear from him. He is eager to be the winner of the 31 Club race to the million dollars. We speak with one another often on the phone or by e-mail, and he is learning at a very quick pace. Being a newcomer to this industry, he wasn’t sure how long it would take to master the skills for success. But, he simply went out, on perhaps, his first treasure hunting venture and promptly purchased a painting for $40. We’ve discovered it has a retail value of $3,500. Not bad for a newbie.

This is exactly why I make every effort to preview the paintings before I go to an auction or even a house sale if I am able. I can learn more about it and make an offer or bid based on knowledge. I truly believe that it is in the area of paintings that you can find the one treasure that can change the way you are living. So often, I’ve found that sellers do not have the resources to truly evaluate a painting. This can apply to individual sellers or auction houses. If they don’t subscribe to an art service, but only depend on book guides like “Davenports”, they may come no where near the true value of the painting they’re trying to sell.

Let’s go to the call I got yesterday from our member, Cecil R. and use this as an example to see how this kind of thing plays out. A friend of Cecil’s, who knew he had an interest in paintings, called him to tell him about two Charles Partridge Adams paintings up for sale through an auction house in Owensboro, Kentucky. In the Davenport’s guide, Adams is listed, but the price for his works are moderate. When we went to a service like Ask Art, we found that within the last month or so, a small oil on canvas of his sold for $12,000.

So, now you’ve got two paintings by Charles Partridge Adams listed in the local paper, and I’m fairly certain they were listed in the Antique Trader as well. Wouldn’t it seem like everyone, including their aunt and uncle, would know these were being sold and would surely show up and outbid a newbie? Well, everyone must’ve stayed away thinking that these fine paintings would surely sell for more money than they were willing to spend, especially with the market for paintings being so strong. Yes, indeed, everybody stayed home, and this opened the door for Cecil, to snatch those two paintings for (drumroll………………………) $700 apiece!!! Cecil might just have made himself about $18,500 -- conservatively.

With that example, let me stress a couple of things. First, Don’t presume that just because a painting is listed in an estate sale ad or an auction ad, that it’s priced just right.

Second, consider that the name of the artist, alone, might keep many buyers away. Buyers will often stay away when they’ve had a “rational” conversation with themselves that goes something like this: “Since it was listed in the ad, everyone and their uncle will now know it’s for sale. So, they’ll be plenty of interested and capable buyers lined up to buy. They will all bid the painting up beyond my reach, so I’ll just stay home and not waste my time. In that way, I’ll save on gasoline and be able to sit on the couch and watch TV today, since it’s raining anyway.

Third, never presume that you know what is going to happen at a sale, whether auction or estate sale or house sale. You might be right, but – what if you’re not? What if you’re completely wrong, and you never even bothered to step foot out of the house?

Fourth, before you decide not to go at all, take my experience into your mind before you decide. You see, I have found that even when I’ve gone for a particular piece and it’s been bid up or priced higher than I’m willing to pay, I have usually stumbled upon other treasures that I would have missed, had I decided to stay home.

Your success will be based upon the number of items you have the opportunity to buy. So if you don't get out of the house to buy, your chances of success are very limited. Get out of that house. Your treasures are awaiting you.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

35" High Maple Sugar Chest, Early 19th Century, Sold for $9,000 at Doyle New York in May, 2007.

What qualifies a piece of furniture to be called a “chest?” Surprisingly, many pieces of furniture can be called a chest. You have a chest for holding clothes, but this is just one kind of chest. How about a sugar chest, or even a blanket chest? These three chests had entirely different functions, but all are called a “chest.” So let’s examine some of the differences in these three types of chests.

Did you know that at one time sugar, was a very precious commodity? Back in the early to mid 1800's, sugar, in fact, was so expensive and prized, it was kept in a locked chest. This furniture was a very functional piece, plain in decor, yet often a symbol of the family's social status. They were often kept out in plain view, usually in a parlor room or dining room. The most expensive of the sugar chests might well be the Kentucky chest.

These chests were usually made of walnut, and often consisted of just four boards. Why is this important to know? A four board chest was special because it meant it was formed from virgin timber. Today, most furniture is composed of several boards glued together to make a side, front, back, top. Only with virgin timber were the trees large enough so that an entire side or top could be produce from one log.

The sugar chest could have one small drawer at the bottom, but some had no drawers at all. The chest opened from the top, and inside you would find a small space where the knife that cut the sugar was kept. These chests can be fairly primitive or very formal in design.

You must be familiar with sugar chests if you have an interest in furniture, because the value is substantially different between sugar chests and blanket chests. The sugar chests are usually much more valuable, and be warned that there are people who rework blanket chests to look like sugar chests for obvious reasons. A good Kentucky sugar chest may bring $25,000 or more, so they are well worth looking for. The best places to find these at a bargain price is at sales in states where they weren't used. They’ve moved with families through the generations and the new generation doesn’t know its use nor care to inquire of its history.

Have you ever heard the expression “a horse being taken to the glue factory?” This comes from the fact that early glue was made from horse parts. This also explains why older furniture often comes apart. The early glue was water soluble, and if it was exposed to moisture it would easily come apart.

Unlike the valuable sugar chest, a valuable blanket chest that will bring big money usually has to be signed and dated. Blanket chests from the 1700's, with the right information on it about the owner, can easily bring $50,000 to $1,000,000. These are, indeed, rare. Blanket chests you are more likely to come across will be valued in the $500 to $2,500 range. These chests are usually long and narrow, standing on very short legs, opening from the top. They can have up to two small drawers underneath the main compartment.

It is easy to see how someone could convert this to look like a sugar chest, so don’t be fooled.

In both of these types of chests, you will find the value between the best to the average is the difference between night and day. If you are fortunate enough to find a piece that could be of substantial value, that might be the time to call in an expert to confirm your opinion. Any repair or the use of new parts to the piece will reduce the chest value by up to 80 %. So be on the lookout for more modern parts or any repair.

Tomorrow we well discuss the chest that you are probably more familiar with – the clothes chest. The style of the clothes chest covers a wide range of styles and this will take some time just to get you the basics.

Thanks to everyone who tuned into my discussion Monday with Auctionwally on BlogTalk Radio. The show was a blast and if you missed it, you can listen to it this week at Auctionwally.com. As soon as we are able, we’ll have a link to it on our site, as well as a posted transcript.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

Yesterday, I shared about European and Early American chairs, but if I was starting to take an interest in furniture today, it would be in the Arts and Crafts Furniture and the Modern Design pieces. This is where the trend is, and that is where we want to be.

Arts and Crafts is already well into the trend, but I think there is still a lot to go. Names like Stickley, Frank Lloyd Wright and Limbert are going to grace our homes for a long time. The young collectors seem to be drawn to this style, so don't try to fight a trend.

Places to find out more about the Arts and Crafts design era is to view catalogs from Rago Arts and Auction and Treadway Galleries. These two houses seem to be the trendsetters for the Arts and Crafts market. There you will find true values for the chairs and other furniture and objects of art that were produced during this period. They have some of the finest art pottery pieces of this time period, as well. If you get a chance to visit one of their auctions, you’ll get an education that is well worth the time. Buying a few of their back catalogs to use as a source of reference will be a superb addition to your library. Study their websites. They list their sales and even the results of their sales. What a great way to become educated at no cost.

Most of the items that bring the big bucks are made of oak and have a rather straight, minimalistic design, but you can find ones made of mahogany and birdseye maple. These can have a branded mark or cellophane label. Often the cellophane labels are missing, and so unscrupulous people have even reproduced these labels and placed them on items that are nowhere like the items they claim to be.

The area that I am least familiar with is the Modern 20th Century Design Movement. However, when I look at some of the Wright Auction catalogs, I know that it is time for me to step up to the plate and get an education in this area. This market seems to be lead by certain designers and you must know their names and designs. If you do the rewards will be tremendous.

Modern 20th Century Design are those objects of art, lighting, and furniture from about 1920 through the present time, and they continue to be a hot commodity in the collectibles world, especially for the younger generation who grew up during the time period of these great designers.

A lady whose home I went to shared a story about the time she and her husband started house keeping in the 50”s. Today, she was ready to change the way she was living and a friend suggested she call Wright Auctions to get an idea of the values of the items she was tired of. The auction house representative came, and she could see the excitement in their eyes. They hauled off furniture she would have gladly sold for a few thousand dollars. Later, after their auction, she received a check for well over $100,000 from Wright. Now that would be what I consider finding a treasure, even if I had owned it all the time.

Furniture, lighting, and art objects from the top designers of this time have been copied, often rather badly, but it is the designer pieces of this time that are considered works of art, commanding top prices in today’s marketplace. No one has changed the world of Modern Design Furniture and Objects of Art as much as Wright Auction House.

In 2000, founders Richard Wright and his wife, Julie Thoma Wright opened the doors of their auction business, specializing in items from this period. Their business creativity drastically changed the face of business in this area of the market. Julie Thomas Wright, we are sorry to say, has recently passed away, but it was her visionary ideas for this business that propelled this company forward to become today’s standard for Modern Design Collectibles. Today, Wright Auctions is known internationally as the spot to go for the best of these designer items.

This area of Antiques and Collectibles can be the turning point in your career as a buyer and seller. To really make some serious money, spend time studying the Modern movement. Call Wright Auction and ask how to get up to date in your knowledge of this movement. They will be glad to share with you because they want new people to appreciate modern design and this is where they make their money. Call them at 1-312-563-0020, and they might even have a few old catalogs to share with you.

For those who are following my book and have joined the 31 Club, dealing in these more rare and valuable items is the direction we move toward, step-by-step. You might still be working the lower end steps at the moment, but when you stick with it, continuing to complete each step, soon enough you will find yourself in the position to be buying rare and high end items. Knowledge about these designer items will expand the areas in which you can trade.

Most of my readers know, as a rule, I don’t deal in antique furniture. I’m not much interested in dealing with bulky items that require more than myself to transport, nor do I want to keep the kind of storage space furniture requires. But, I must say, in this case, I’m seriously considering making an exception for some of these fine pieces and the prices they can bring in.

Prices for items by well known designers and artists like Vladimir Kagan, George Nakashima, Ponti, and Paul Evans, can bring in amounts of $40,000 to well over $150,000. You might not recognize these names right now, but I hope you will in the future. If you ran across any of these items in a house sale right now, I doubt you would recognize them, and you’d be passing on a find that could make a big difference in your life.

Tomorrow I'll continue to examine the furniture market. This study should take at least the rest of this week, but you should be picking up ideas for future study. One way is to get a great cup of coffee at your local book store and browse their selections on furniture. I promise that you will be engaged in conversation quickly with someone who is doing the same thing.

Find out more about our step-by-step program to enable you to work in the more rare and valuable items in the Antique, Art, & Collectible Markets here.

Join with like-minded 31 Club Members and put a turbo charge on your treasure hunting skills. Get FREE Mentoring. Learn Inside the Industry Secrets. Learn to make high profits and continue to grow your money buying and selling antiques, fine art, and collectibles. My 220 page book,31 Steps to Your Millions in Antiques & Collectiblesis FREE with your membership. The book is also available on Amazon.com. If you buy the book on Amazon, then the membership is FREE.

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